Blake Griffin Dunk on Kendrick Perkins vs. Timofey Mozgov: Which Is Better?

Blake Griffin's dunk over Timofey Mozgov was phenomenal, but his throwdown over Kendrick Perkins was bigger and better in a more important game for the Los Angeles Clippers.

This is not the time to be nitpicking about whether or not it was a dunk.

This is the opportunity to appreciate the ridiculous and unbridled athleticism Griffin brings to the basketball court.

Everyone believed that the Clippers' curse was bound to continue after the club drafted Griffin in 2009 and he was forced to sit out the entire season.

Then, Griffin exploded onto the scene during his rookie season and took home Rookie of the Year honors with emphasis.

Now? He's the franchise face of arguably the most exciting team to watch in all of basketball.

When Griffin threw down over Mozgov, his team was trailing by double digits at home to the New York Knicks.

There wasn't nearly the same level of crowd reaction, and the pass he received from Randy Foye doesn't touch the bounce pass he got from Chris Paul on Monday night against Oklahoma City.

It wasn't the same feel when Griffin went up over Mozgov. The Russian center doesn't have a reputation as a defensive enforcer, and at the time, many weren't sure what to make of him as a player in the NBA.

When Griffin rose to the basket over Kendrick Perkins, noted for the toughness and ferocity he brings to the Thunder inside the paint, the roof nearly exploded right off of the Staples Center.

Griffin pauses in mid-air, elevates to the point that his waist is at Perkins' shoulders (who was also jumping on the play) and has to be restrained by a very excited DeAndre Jordan following the bucket.

All of the Thunder players on the court not named Perkins looked absolutely stunned after the ball went through the hoop, and everyone in the building was in awe of what just happened.

In a game of that magnitude for a completely different Clippers team, Griffin made a big-time play, and his ability to cut without the basketball before making that play speaks volumes about just how good it was.

Was it the best dunk of all time? No, it wasn't, but this Vince Carter slam in the Olympics may never be topped by anybody.

Does that mean we should criticize it for getting more hype than it deserves? Absolutely not.

There are vicious, ridiculous dunks recorded every year throughout the league, but when the NBA has someone who delivers them with such consistency and emotion as Griffin has done, it's time for all of us to just sit back and enjoy it.

Griffin's dunk is a big reason why people love basketball, as it truly is where amazing happens on the hardwood.

Those arguing that it was an offensive foul and or that it wasn't a real dunk need to just ask themselves a simple question: Can you do that with a basketball and a defender standing between you and the rim?